and the health decision one contestant will face after the pageant. happy saturday morning to everyone at home. it is opposite day here in this country, in the weather department at least. warm on the east coast, cold in the west. ginger zee with here with all of the backwards details. she says it could be close to 70 degrees in washington, d.c. >> i think the technical mete meteorological term for this is weird, right? >> yes. imagine being 24 years old and finding out that the grandparents who raised you actually abducted you. this morning, a bizarre custody battle unravels. >> everything in his life changing from what he thought that it was. plus, what's going on with britney spears? overnight, we've learned she's broken up with her fiance. this happening the same week she quit her job on "the x factor." >> breaking "pop news" this morning. and look at this. no-look basketball shot.

it's right here. look at that. >> love it. >> nothing but net. >> the high school freshman who made that shot and is going viral this morning is going to be with us live, coming up a little later here on "gma." we're going to start here with those tiny glimmers of hope on the early and nasty flu outbreak. john schriffen outside a hospital in manhattan right now. john, good morning. >> reporter: dan, good morning. here at this emergency room in new york city, the hospital says the percentage of patients they're seeing with flu-like symptoms is up five-times as many as they saw last year. but the good news around the country is that new numbers show the worst could be behind us. this morning, the flu has spread to 47 states across the country, according to the cdc, crossing the line into epidemic territory. at this hospital in minnesota, so many patients are coming in with the flu, they're packing two to a room. but as the number of cases grow, we're finally seeing a glimmer

of hope. >> we're seeing firsthand, in some of the southern states that got hit hardest and earliest, it's starting to come down. >> reporter: still, you may not want to put away the tissue boxes just yet. dr. richard besser says many of us are in it for the long haul. >> we don't know when this is going to end. this could be the worst flu year in a decade. >> reporter: what makes this year's flu season so bad, timing. the outbreak hit around thanksgiving this year. that's about a month earlier than normal. we're six weeks in and with six more to go, doctors say it's not too late to get that flu shot. a recently-released study ranks this year's vaccine as 62% effective, just moderate. more than 130 million vaccine doses have been distributed nationwide. but many people are having trouble finding them in their neighborhoods. >> we are being told we don't have any. >> you don't have any left? okay. >> reporter: how do you know if you're coming down with the flu or just the common cold?

>> if you think about a cold, it usually infects you from the neck-up. congestion, sinus, fullness, sore throat. the flu, you're going to feel achy all over. >> reporter: if you can't find the flu vaccine at your local pharmacy, head over to flu.gov. you can use their vaccine finder by punching in your zip code and it will tell you where to go. dan? bianna? >> it's not too late to get your flu shot right now. and our senior medical contributor, dr. jennifer ashton is here, to talk about alternative treatments for people suffering with the flu. you're a western-trained physician. but you believe that alternative medicines actually help. >> i do. and in a real world you integrate with traditional medicines to complementary medicine. this is not a substitute for traditional medicine. it's in addition to. >> it looks like you have a war

chest right there. walk us through. this is tumeric. >> this is called indian cold. this is what gives curry the yellow flavor. has been studied and found to have really strong antiviral and anti-bacterial properties. i add this to my eggs. but you can add it to soup, too. >> for years, we've been hearing about zinc and how effective zinc can be. >> most people take zinc when they feel the common cold coming on. much better for the cold than the flu. you can take extra when you're six. you can shorten the duration of symptoms. do not use the nasal form. that can affect your sense of smell. >> and what is this right here? a netti pot? >> you've never used this. >> i'll show you later. we're talking about cleaning out the nasal passages. it can be very effective in easing that congestion. you want to use distilled water.

and short-term use only. you don't want to use it every day. that can cause more problems than it helps. >> how about mom's favorite medicine? >> mom, grandma, they were right. there's science behind it. there's a synergy or combination of ingredients in chicken soup. they don't attack the area and create more. how is that? very effective. and it's not found with other soups. >> dr. ashton, dropping the "m" bomb on morning television. this is complementary stuff, not to replace traditional medicine. >> absolutely not. and you want to tell your health care provider when you're using these. >> get their flu shot. >> and get the flu shot and weigh the risks versus the benefits. a lot of other news breaking overnight. for that, it's mr. ron claiborne. >> good morning to you. i was wondering, doctor. you take all of those? >> sure. you know in medicine, we say in

moderation. >> okay. a little in moderation. good morning, everybody. after years of denying doping charges, cyclist lance armstrong is reportedly about to come clean. "usa today" is reporting that armstrong will admit to using performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions in an interview with oprah winfrey that is taping on monday. but armstrong is not expected to go into great detail. armstrong faces potential lawsuits by those who believe he defrauded them. he was stripped of his tour de france titles last year. president obama, joined by hamid karzai in washington, d.c. on friday, announced they will speed up the transition to afghan forces taking the lead in fighting the taliban. that will happened by this spring. abc's muhammad lila joins us with more from a military base in kabul. good morning, muhammad. >> reporter: good morning, ron. this is one of the bases that will be affected. as the u.s. military continues to wind down its presence here

in afghanistan. here's what the announcement means. for the most part, american and afghan soldiers have been fighting the taliban, side-by-side, in the mountains, in the valleys, where the taliban are hiding. that is changing. as of this spring, it's afghan soldiers in the lead. they will be the ones initiating the combat with the taliban. the american soldiers will be here to advise and assist when they are requested to. the big test of all of this will be in the spring. if the afghan army can prove they can take on the taliban without american support, it could mean that the 66,000 american troops that are currently stationed here, could be headed home sooner than scheduled. ron? >> thanks, muhammad. muhammad lila reporting from afghanistan. and president obama will award the congressional medal of honor to former staff sergeant clinton romisha. he helped recovered the bodies

of fallen soldiers. he'll be the fourth living recipient of the award from the wars in iraq and afghanistan. and a bus driver in seattle is being hailed as a hero this morning. his commuter bus burst into flames during the morning commute. he stopped in the express lane and moved everyone from the bus, safely away from the flames and smoke. no one was injured. another strange sight on the highway. a racehorse in maryland, making a run for it. tossing his jockey and escaping. another jockey shot this video on his phone, while chasing down the thoroughbred. people do all kinds of things to shoot video in action. the horse was galloping about 30 miles per hour. finally slowed down and was captured. >> keeps going and going and going. >> yeah. how about that? >> interesting video. >> it was. >> back to you guys. we're going to turn to violent video games. the latest target of the president's task force on guns, set up in the wake of the sandy

hook elementary school massacre. industry leaders met with vice president biden yesterday. and gun supporters say that's where the real blame lies when it comes to mass shootings. abc's david kerley is at the white house with more on the meetings. good morning, david. >> reporter: good morning, bianna. we're hours away from the vice president releasing his findings. and the meetings with video gamemakers, who said don't blame us. this is big business. in 2011, consumers spent nearly $25 billion on video games. >> call of duty black ops. >> reporter: and in this debate, some gun advocates blame those games and violent movies for sparking mass shootings by young men. meetings with executives of gamemakers, the vice president did not assign blame. >> we're anxious to see if there's anything you can suggest to us to diminish the possibility, if we only save one

kid's life as a consequence. >> reporter: it was the killing, as the vice president said, the riddling of bodies of 6-year-olds and 7-year-olds at sandy hook elementary that started this debate, with the most contentious meeting with gun groups. >> there's meetings with them, as well. >> reporter: but the biggest, the national rifle association, was clear. it won't buy any of the administration's ideas to control guns. >> i don't have any comment on what anybody says about the meetings. >> reporter: one idea the vice president highlighted was part of the latest 007 movie. a gun that only recognizes its owner's hand. >> only you can fire it. >> that were available on every weapon sold, may well have curtailed what happened in connecticut. >> reporter: what is expected from the administration, a proposed ban on assault weapons, limiting ammunition clip size, universal background checks and more mental health care. on how guns are really a part of

our culture, the vice president, when talking about releasing his report, says he is shooting for tuesday. and said there is no silver bullet solution to our gun problem. dan? >> interesting point. david kerley, thank you. now, to the unraveling of a long, winding and weird custody battle. it's the story of a 24-year-old thought to be missing for decades. now found, a grown, married man. how did police track him down after all these years? and what happened here? abc's john muller is on the story. >> reporter: dan, this case was so cold, indiana state police had to reopen it when the stepfather turned over his son's social security card a few months ago. it was that simple piece of information, a social security number, that led investigators to a 24-year-old whose name changed but whose license picture looked a lot like the 5-year-old boy who went missing. >> this is a lot for me to take in. >> reporter: 24-year-old richard landers jr. just received a bombshell. police say his grandparents, who reportedly raised him nearly all

his life, actually abducted him when he was just 5 years old. >> until i actually get to walk up and say hello to him again, i don't know that it's going to be real. >> reporter: his father, richard landers sr., is shocked. his mother, apparently was jumping for joy, when she learned her little boy was out there, alive and well, now married, and expecting a child of his own. landers incredible story started two decades ago, after his parents went through a bitter divorce. his mother, reportedly living in a car. police say his paternal grandparents unhappy with the custody proceedings, took him from his home in wolcotville, indiana, brought him to minnesota. all three changed their names. but forgot richard's social security number. that's how police finally tracked him down. >> young man living in the state of minnesota, was using that social security number.

doing further checking on who this person was, he had the same date of birth. >> reporter: authorities traced the number to this property in minnesota, where richard landers jr. was living as michael jeff landers. police say there were no signs he was ever abused. the grandparents were charged in 1999 with interference of custody. since so much time had passed, the charges were eventually dropped. no word on if new charges will be filed. strange case. >> hopefully the parents will get to know him and their future grandchild, as well. time to check in with ginger and the weather. we can put our coats away for a little bit. >> here in new york city, the high temperature today, 55. by the time we reach phoenix's high temperature, it's 48. seven degrees cooler. there's a big flip-flop going on. it starts in l.a. let me show you pictures. looks like a scene from chicago. people bundled up. the hats, the coats, the gloves

all on. it's the early-morning lows out west that's the problem. freeze warnings and frost advisories. going on from san diego, burbank's included, san jose, las vegas, this morning. in the low to mid-30s. and phoenix, also. the cold weather is really not going anywhere, either. that's the whole thing. it's going to settle in and stick for a couple of days. look at the early-morning lows for the next three mornings. this morning -- saturday night into early tomorrow. 35 in san francisco. they stay in the 30s. if phoenix does this for four days, it will be the coldest stretch they've had since 1988. a lot of cold numbers sticking around. and it wasn't just cold. it was snow. let's go to salt lake city, utah, where they got more than nine inches of snow. some of the roads a big mess. some of the mountain areas, four feet. a lot of skiers happy. behind that, a fast-moving storm that moved in is a lot of cold air. windchills of what it feels like, 19 below. rapid city, 15 below. bismarck, 17 below.

and denver, a real windy one. almost 30 below with that windchill. we have to see what happens in the east coast. new york city's high today, around 55. pittsburgh will make it to 65. washington, d.c., close to 60 today. by tomorrow, almost 70. so, there's some big numbers. and record highs are possible in a lot of places. houston, 78. 77 for new orleans. south florida has been warm this week. they'll stay that way in the low 80s. fog is going to be a problem when you're traveling, anywhere from south carolina, through north carolina, virginia, all the way up to parts of pennsylvania and western new york here. some of the visibility, less than a tenth of a mile. there's a final headline i have to give you. as this cold front pushes in, you have a lot of rain. around indianapolis today, memphis, some of the heaviest showers. memphis to the south and west, you may see a few isolated hail, thunderstorms, that could create an isolated tornado, too. severe weather threats on top of all that. very powerful cold front.

>> let's get straight to the twitter photos. i think we're starting with that wall of clouds. i have so many headlines this morning, couldn't even tell you. all that cold front pushing through the wind, and that storm that made it cold in l.a., made snow in los angeles also created a dust storm you could see from the satellite yesterday in western kansas. >> wow. >> isn't that beautiful? i could not take my eyes off of this one, from biloxi earlier this week. >> that's nice. i can't get over the 31 degrees

in phoenix. something you don't see often. >> especially four mornings in a row. that's going to be really hard for them. >> thank you. and this cold, winter weather means frozen lakes and the danger of falling through thin ice. abc's bob woodruff on how to survive if you become trapped in icy water. >> reporter: it is a familiar winter picture. dozens of youtube videos show kids and young daredevils, having fun venturing out on the ice. but here's what can happen in an instant. just in the past two weeks, two teens trapped four hours, clinging to a tree. falling into frozen waters, sends your body into cold shock. this doctor demonstrates. >> you start gasping and hyperventilating. >> reporter: he says get your breathing under control, fast.

it's a race against hypothermia. you're losing heat. your core temperature dropping. if you're able to thread water, you have as little as 15 minutes before losing consciousness. so frigid, rescuers don full-body thermal suits like the one i wore in norway as a precaution. don't flail your arms like this. always keep them above the water so they don't freeze. your arms are key. and don't remove your clothing, including your boots. it will actually help you to stay afloat. out on thin ice, every move can make the difference between life and death. for "good morning america," bob woodruff, abc news, new york. >> good tips from bob and dr. popsicle. >> and dr. ashton and dr. popsicle this morning. now, to our "gma" countdown to oscar sunday. movie history was made when the nominations came out.

a little girl lighting up the big screen, becoming the youngest best actors nominee ever. >> we have to learn how to pronounce this name. quvenzhane wallis. chris connelly is in hollywood this morning. >> reporter: quvenzhane wallis. she may be knew to acting. but quvenzhane wallis is becoming accustomed to accepting accolades. >> thanks. >> reporter: as hushpuppy in the surreal bayou fable "beasts of the southern wild." a 6-year-old quvenzhane makes your heartbeat faster. from dread. from caring. for sheer rapture with her indomitable self. >> say i got you. >> i got you. >> reporter: without a mother. with a desperately ill dad, finding her way amid the squalor, chaos and community of a louisiana outpost called the bathtub, before and after a flood of epic proportions.

>> the water's going to rise up so high. >> reporter: quvenzhane had never acted professionally before auditioning for the film. >> i was kind of nervous. i was too young. i lied on the sheet. i think my mom put 6. >> reporter: director benh zeitlin, an oscar nominee, spotted her magic and picked her to play hushpuppy, over some 4,000 other children. >> the crab is awake. >> how am i going to do this with this enormous script? and it's kind of hard 'cause i barely knew how to read. >> reporter: hushpuppy's journey, hopeful. showcases her courage and the fortitude of the actress who plays her. for "good morning america," chris connelly, abc news, los angeles. >> that girl has a huge future ahead for her. she's adorable. you can tune in to the academy

awards live on sunday february 24th. our coverage begins 7:00 p.m. eastern, 4:00 pacific. coming up, a big new twist in the case of the man who was murdered the day after he won the lottery. exclusive access. lara spencer takes us backstage with the miss america contestants as they get ready for tonight's big pageant. some are hiding personal struggles behind those big smiles. breakups this morning. and we have news overnight she has dumped her fiance. all that coming up in the next half hour of "gma." keep it here on this saturday morning. chronic osteoarthritis pain.

imagine living your life with less chronic low back pain. imagine you with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not for children under 18. people taking maois, linezolid or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for

migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. ( ♪ ) for those nights when it's more than a bad dream, be ready. for the days when you get a sudden call from the school, be ready. for the times you need to double-check the temperature on the thermometer,

be ready. when you have children's motrin on hand, you're ready. for high fever, nothing works faster or lasts longer than children's motrin. be ready with children's motrin.

i don't know if i'm supposed to tip my hat. but the thing i'm most looking forward to in this broadcast, was the kid that hit the most amazing shot in the middle of a high school church league game. >> can't get enough of that. we'll talk to him, coming up in the show.

♪ i'm stronger if you think about it, she hasn't been a tabloid terror for several years now. but this morning, britney spears is making headlines again. not only did she quit her reality show. but overnight, we learned she's breaking up with her fiance. what's her next move? the answer coming up on "good morning america." i'm dan harris. >> i'm bianna golodryga. it's saturday, january 12th. and our lara spencer will be taking us behind the scenes. tonight's miss america pageant. we'll tell you about the unusual talent. >> is that lara doing that? >> that's not lara. lara could be a contestant. one contestant is paying tribute to her mother, and following through on an emotional health decision after the pageant. >> a decision that could help saving her life. and check this out. the basketball shot heard around

the internet. underhanded, behind the back, no-look and in. bianna says we should refer to this as redonculous. first, the latest on the mysterious death of a lottery winner in illinois, poisoned just after hitting the jackpot. a judge has now granted authorities permission to exhume his body next week. alex perez spoke to family members on both sides in this bitter battle over his estate. good morning, alex. >> reporter: good morning, bianna. urooj khan's family has spent the last few months looking into what happened to him. they are hoping the decision to exhume his body will get them answers. for the first time, urooj khan's family is speaking a out about his mysterious death in july, one day after he claimed his lotto jackpot. this morning, his nephew, says he knew something wasn't right. >> the next day later, he passes away. it raises some eyebrows.

>> reporter: it turns out those concerns may have been warranted. the medical examiner initially ruled khan died of nap ral causes. but after concerns, siblings demanded more tests. authorities found a lethal amount of cyanide in his blood, turning this case into a homicide investigation. >> when we found out there was cyanide in his blood, after the toxicology report, someoned that to kill him. >> reporter: they have no suspects. but they did question his widow. ansari, working at the couple's dry cleaning business, declined to speak to abc news on camera. but says the night before her husband died, she cooked a traditional indian meal for him. and said everything seemed okay. >> positively, she had nothing to do with her husband's death. >> reporter: ansari is now locked in a legal battle with his family over khan's estate. he didn't have a will. but he had more than $1 million

in lottery winnings. and some in the family doubted that the couple was married. authorities are one step closer to learning what happened. a judge friday approved an order to exhume his body for further testing. khan's body could be exhumed as early as tuesday. and authorities will be tracking every second of this investigation. >> alex, thank you. time to look at the other headlines this morning. back to ron. >> good morning, everybody. in the news, the worst of the flu epidemic may be over at least in some states. it appears to have peaked in parts of the south that have been hard-hit. but now, california is bracing for a spike in the outbreak that's reached 47 states in all. the judge in the colorado theater shooting trial gave suspect james holmes two more months to enter a plea, a day after ruling he can stand trial. that led to an angry outburst by one of the victim's fathers, who yelled out rot in hell, holmes. and wonder bread will be back on store shelves.

the hostess company hold its bread brands. twinkies and other desserts are expected back soon. and reaction is pouring in response to kate middleton's official portrait. and not pretty. critics say it makes her look doubty and about 20 years older than she actually is. one said she's been, quote, transformed into something unpleasant from the "twilight" franchise. >> she's prettier in real life. >> well, hey. time, now, for weather and ginger zee. >> good morning, ron. i'm going to get help from a sixth grader in northern minnesota. they had freezing rain this week. but that doesn't stop them. look at this. >> in minnesota, we don't cancel school because of bad weather. we value our education. >> off to school, boy. >> and he's ice skating to school. school was canceled. he didn't get to skate the whole way there. found that out. either way, we're going to

communicate the text message cancelling school thing. all that cold air is moving to the east. and the warm-up for the east coast that's been happening and will continue for just a time, going to get out of here. watch the temperatures tumble. chicago, 46 today. but 24 by monday. these are high temperatures. 65 for pittsburgh today. and on monday, less than 40. that's the big picture. you see the big division of air with the cold front. >> this weather report has been brought to you by las vegas. and you guys, places like trevor city, michigan, have hit their high this morning, 51. >> a few days of reprieve for them. coming up on "good morning america," lara spencer and the secrets of miss america. we go backstage of the biggest

pageant of the year to learn the emotional stories of some of the contestants. and under-the-radar stability, britney spears making news this morning with a pair of big breakups. [ male announcer ] coughequence™ #8. waking the baby. [ coughs ] [ baby crying ] ♪ [ male announcer ] robitussin® liquid formula soothes your throat on contact and the active ingredient relieves your cough. robitussin®. don't suffer the coughequences™. and the active ingredient relieves your cough. i can brew my coffee just the way i love it. how do you do that? inside the brewer, there's this train

that makes coffee stronger, bigger, and hotter! actually, i just press this button. brew what you love with the keurig vue. living with moderate to semeans living with pain.is it could also mean living with joint damage. help relieve the pain and stop the damage with humira, adalimumab. for many adults with moderate to severe ra, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. so you can treat more than just the pain. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb.

ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira, to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage before they stop you. with the samsung galaxy ii from straight talk wireless. he'll get the same nationwide coverage for half the cost. let's see if he notices. of course. joe saved $950 a year, enough to buy some sweet pyro. straight talk wireless. same phones. same networks. half the cost. [ rain pattering ]

[ heels clicking ] [ female announcer ] yoplait light tastes great now... ♪ ...and feels great later 20 delicious flavors of yoplait light, now at 90 calories each. yoplait, it is so good!

♪ now, i'm stronger than yesterday ♪ when britney spears got engaged about a year ago, everybody said it was a sign of newfound stability. but this morning, they're breaking up. >> we're also hearing that she's bailing on her reality show. what's going on here? abc's rachel smith has the details. a busy week for her. >> indeed. a busy day. today, it's britney against the music. rumors were swirling about brittabri britney's departure from "the x factor." the pop star made even bigger news on the same day. take a look. this morning, all eyes are on britney spears, ending yet another relationship in heartbreak. the pop icon and fiance jason trawick, calling it quits, after nearly four years. britney said in a statement to "people" magazine, quote, jason and i have decided to call off

our engagement. i'll always adore him and we will remain great friends. jason adding, as this chapter ends for us, a new one begins. i love and cherish her and her boys. and we will be close forever. >> britney spears and jason, they're very private. you'll probably never know what went wrong in their relationship. >> i think you are great. >> reporter: britney's breakup bombshell comes on the same day she announced she is leaving her role as judge on "the x factor." tmz also reports, trawick, who was once spears' agent, has been removed as her co-conservator, which gave him control over her finances, nutrition, clothing and medical decisions. ♪ i can't take no more >> when you mix business with pleasure, especially with a high-profile celebrity like britney spears, that can be really taxing. >> reporter: nearly five years after spears' infamous breakdown, it appeared her relationship with trawick brought stability. there were no bad headlines.

new music. and a tv paycheck. >> reporter: the family seems to like him. and her life has really changed. her career continues to be on the upswing. she is working on new music. she hinted at possibly touring. who knows what's next for britney after this? >> reporter: this isn't britney's first relationship turned toxic. her first love, justin timberlake, to a 55-hour marriage to childhood friend jason alexander, to husband of three years, dancer, kevin federline. for now, her fans can only hope her latest breakup makes her stronger. ♪ now, i'm stronger than yesterday ♪ >> their split naturally raises the question, what went wrong? tmz is reporting the breakup may have been over kids. britney reportedly wanted to add to her brood of two from her previous marriage with kevin federline. and jason, was actually in

another place. we'll see how it all pans out. but both the boys are great. >> wish her the best. >> exactly. >> thank you. coming up on the broadcast, how do you hit an amazing buzzer-beater shot like this? look at that thing. he's here live to tell us after a quick break. there's a lot of messed-up tax returns out there. with h&r block's second look, people bring in old tax returns, and i'm like, "who did this to you?" don't worry, i'll fix it. i'll go back three years... and get you every single deduction out there.

because it helps you keep doing what you love. no wonder it's america's #1 selling pain reliever. you took action, you took advil®. and we thank you. ♪ ♪ what baby wants, baby gets. the everyday collection. by target.

something this delicious could only come from nature. now from the maker of splenda sweeteners, discover nectresse. the only 100% natural, no-calorie sweetener made from the goodness of fruit. the rich, sweet taste of sugar. nothing artificial. ♪ it's all that sweet ever needs to be. new nectresse. sweetness naturally.

mom, pop it. ♪ two inches apart, becky. two inches. t-minus nine minutes. [ ding ] [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls. let the making begin. ♪ [ female announcer ] go from zero to pizza in just 60 seconds with totino's pizza rolls and grab a bite of snack-defying, satisfying... because pizza...never...misses. it's on. let's roll.

big night for the contestants in tonight's miss america pageant. this is the night they've been waiting for their whole lives. >> that's true. and lara spencer got unprecedented access as they prepare for this special moment. >> reporter: as 53 women vie for that miss america crown, we give you an unvarnished look, a behind-the-scenes documentary, if you will, on the road to miss

america. it's a journey that began months ago. in small, hometown pageants across america. >> rebecca davis. >> reporter: starkly fumble begins for a grand finale. and pageant names that may not ring a bell. from alabama, miss covered bridge. and from tennessee, that country sunshine. we learn that all of these women struggle in different ways, including financially. for some, miss america is a story of haves and have-nots. south carolina is considered a pageant state because there's big funding and big resources. >> obviously, way too big for just me. >> reporter: for her year as south carolina, allie is put up in a gorgeous apartment. she's given a wardrobe and a car. >> i realize that not every girl gets a car. >> we don't have a fuel sponsor,

a wardrobe sponsor. >> reporter: miss wyoming struggles with the money to finance her journey. today, lexie is ready to bring in some cash with a fund-raiser in her hometown. the journey leading up to miss america, is a transformation for all of these women. emoti emotionally, physically. and in some cases, the changes are even more profound. miss district of columbia, allen rose will have her breasts removed after the pageant. a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer, which killed her mother when she was 16. >> this is my mom in the corner. >> reporter: she's beautiful. you guys look alike. >> i hope so. >> reporter: for the talent portion of the competition, she will honor her mother by roller skating. >> people told me, you're crazy. no one's ever going to pick a roller skater. it's such an offbeat talent.

but i'm going to try it. when i was performing my talent at miss d.c., i felt my mom in every part of my body. >> reporter: pageant confidential, the road to miss america, is a special edition of "20/20." it airs tonight. followed immediately by the 2013 miss america pageant. it's all live from las vegas. and it is three hours of tv you do not want to miss. >> and our sam champion will be judging. >> one of the judges. we'll be right back with a high school freshman whose already had his "sportscenter" highlight. it's quite a play. we'll have him live. keep it here.

well, inside the brewer, there's a giant staircase. and the room is filled with all these different kinds of coffee. actually, i just press this button. brew what you love, simply. keurig. with the samsung galaxy ii from straight talk wireless. he'll get the same nationwide coverage for half the cost. let's see if he notices. of course. joe saved $950 a year, enough to buy some sweet pyro. straight talk wireless. same phones. same networks. half the cost. it just wouldn't go away. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment.

so now i can plan my days and accomplish more. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. ask your doctor if lyrica is right capella university understands bright students are getting lost in the shuffle. need. and administration's work gets more complex every year. when you look at these issues, do you see problems or opportunities? with an advanced degree in education from capella university,

you'll have the knowledge to meet these challenges and make a difference in the lives of students. let's get started at capella.edu.

the moment we've been waiting for. before we go, been teasing this all morning. an amazing half-court

buzzer-beater. take a look. high school freshman matt demember gets the ball. and chucks it up, no looking. >> all net, baby. >> all-net. he's joining us live from maryland. great to see you, matt. this is incredible video. >> hi. >> were you planning on taking this shot? >> no. my friend, brett, just tossed it to me. and i saw there was no time left. so, i just threw it up. and it went in. >> it was the number one play, of course, on "sportscenter" the other night. were you freaking out when you saw that? >> yeah. i was running around my house. our whole family was going crazy. >> i can imagine. your mom says you take shots like this all the time. >> yeah. in the backyard, we play h.o.r.s.e. with my neighbors. and it's a lot of fun. >> you practice a shot like that? no-look? >> i haven't done that specific one. but i've done crazy shots

before. >> you'll have to come into the studio and do it for us next time. thank you so much. >> thank you. thank you for watching abc news. we'll see you tomorrow. i'm only in my 60's...

i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses,

i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, it could save you thousands in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus, there are no networks, and you never need a referral. see why millions of people have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp. don't wait. call now.

>> a very good and cold morning to you all on this saturday. it's 5:00 a.m., i'm katie marzullo and we will start you off with a quick look at the weather. here's meteorologist lisa argen. >> good morning, katie. it certainly is cool out there. although the freeze warning has been cancelled for this morning, but a freeze watch in effect overnight tonight for sunday morning. we aren't done with the cold temperatures. in fact right now underneath partly cloudy skies we have numbers dropping into the lower 30s in santa rosa. 33 there with 32 novato. 39 half moon bay and freezing temperatures in concord. these numbers will continue to drop throughout the next several hours and we will be looking at more sunshine later on this morning, into the afternoon hours. but look at the high temperatures, if you can call them that. 48 to 52 degrees. so certainly chilly around the b